Monday, August 11, 2008
T. BOONE MAY BE RIGHT
While candidate John McCain is ranting and raving about drilling “right here, right now,” some responsible persons are making what appear to be solid, reasonable proposals for long-range solutions to our dependence on foreign oil. One of these who knows what he is talking about is T. Boone Pickens.
From polls of American citizens, it would appear that most of us favor careful exploration of off-shore oil deposits. Candidate Obama has come around to that view – if such an enactment is combined with other more effective programs to develop long range alternative energy sources.
Nevertheless, it is clear that off-shore drilling will NOT solve our oil import problem, and that it will take ten years for that to make even an insignificant contribution to oil supplies. Why, then, is this being made a big political issue by candidate McCain? Obviously, it is a part of an effort to frighten the voters about it, and an attempt to discredit his opponent.
But we probably ought to go ahead and allow a cautious start with off-shore drilling, and consider some other locations as well. Oil companies must first show they are actually drilling in presently available locations. And, no tax breaks and no subsidies please. Get rid of those now in the law.
T. Boone Pickens declares, “We cannot drill our way out of this crisis!” That sounds truthful and honest to this writer.
If T. Boone is right, and we think he is, then we ought to give immediate, serious consideration to his positive proposals. His acceleration in investing personally in wind energy production is part of an encouraged nationwide movement. It is already working in generating electricity. It will continue to work in the future.
Moving electricity generated in the wind belt to high consumption areas is another problem, however. Pickens calls for all governmental bodies to step out now to acquire the right-of-way for transmission corridors and build the infrastructure. Failing actually building transmission lines and facilities, he asks government to clear the legal path and provide incentives for private companies to do so.
This writer has not necessarily been a fan of T. Boone Pickens, but when he is right -- he is right!
Pickens ideas for making compressed natural gas available at service stations, and conversion kits ready for automobiles to use it, seems sound as well. Enough progress could be made on this approach to bring some relief to the gasoline market within 3 to 5 years.
If presently plentiful natural gas could fill a gap in oil for a couple of decades, then other technologies could take over for a more permanent solution.
But if it is not government mandated, then neither the oil companies nor the car companies will get it done. They seem to like things the way they are.
There are, of course, other methods and other technologies for bringing renewable energy to the market. Most of these take a while. Some, like ethanol, have backlashes on food prices or on the economy.
An obvious method for conserving millions of gallons of gasoline immediately is lowering of the speed limits for fuel economy. Some experts say this would save more fuel per year now than all the proposed off-shore and Alaska drilling could produce annually ten years hence.
This immediate action seems to be entirely off the political planning tables. Do you suppose that is because it is not popular with voters? How badly do we really want to solve this problem?
We should do right now what we can do. Boone Pickens has some good ideas. There are other good ideas. Let’s get on with it.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
From polls of American citizens, it would appear that most of us favor careful exploration of off-shore oil deposits. Candidate Obama has come around to that view – if such an enactment is combined with other more effective programs to develop long range alternative energy sources.
Nevertheless, it is clear that off-shore drilling will NOT solve our oil import problem, and that it will take ten years for that to make even an insignificant contribution to oil supplies. Why, then, is this being made a big political issue by candidate McCain? Obviously, it is a part of an effort to frighten the voters about it, and an attempt to discredit his opponent.
But we probably ought to go ahead and allow a cautious start with off-shore drilling, and consider some other locations as well. Oil companies must first show they are actually drilling in presently available locations. And, no tax breaks and no subsidies please. Get rid of those now in the law.
T. Boone Pickens declares, “We cannot drill our way out of this crisis!” That sounds truthful and honest to this writer.
If T. Boone is right, and we think he is, then we ought to give immediate, serious consideration to his positive proposals. His acceleration in investing personally in wind energy production is part of an encouraged nationwide movement. It is already working in generating electricity. It will continue to work in the future.
Moving electricity generated in the wind belt to high consumption areas is another problem, however. Pickens calls for all governmental bodies to step out now to acquire the right-of-way for transmission corridors and build the infrastructure. Failing actually building transmission lines and facilities, he asks government to clear the legal path and provide incentives for private companies to do so.
This writer has not necessarily been a fan of T. Boone Pickens, but when he is right -- he is right!
Pickens ideas for making compressed natural gas available at service stations, and conversion kits ready for automobiles to use it, seems sound as well. Enough progress could be made on this approach to bring some relief to the gasoline market within 3 to 5 years.
If presently plentiful natural gas could fill a gap in oil for a couple of decades, then other technologies could take over for a more permanent solution.
But if it is not government mandated, then neither the oil companies nor the car companies will get it done. They seem to like things the way they are.
There are, of course, other methods and other technologies for bringing renewable energy to the market. Most of these take a while. Some, like ethanol, have backlashes on food prices or on the economy.
An obvious method for conserving millions of gallons of gasoline immediately is lowering of the speed limits for fuel economy. Some experts say this would save more fuel per year now than all the proposed off-shore and Alaska drilling could produce annually ten years hence.
This immediate action seems to be entirely off the political planning tables. Do you suppose that is because it is not popular with voters? How badly do we really want to solve this problem?
We should do right now what we can do. Boone Pickens has some good ideas. There are other good ideas. Let’s get on with it.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
